(Newser)
–
NASA is hatching an audacious plan to send astronauts into space to colonize Mars and other planets—and never return. The project, known as the Hundred Year Starship, has already received more than $1.5 million in funding, the Daily Mail reports, though that’s a small fraction of what the roughly $10 billion ship would ultimately cost. NASA’s hoping to raise money from interested billionaires—Google’s Larry Page has already expressed interest.

“You heard it here,” said the director of NASA’s Ames Research Center. “The human space program is now really aimed at settling other worlds. Twenty years ago, you had to whisper that in dark bars and get fired.” New research has found that a one-way mission to Mars would be cheaper and more feasible than a round-trip. Astronauts would get regular supply shipments, but would be expected to be at least marginally self-sufficient.

I have two political parties I would like to volunteer for this noble assignment.

ntbmaine

Oct 31, 2010 9:45 PM CDT

This is not brilliant at all! Though this is a reasonable solution to the problem that has been facing NASA for quite some time, I don't think that we, as a species, should even think about colonizing other planets until we can figure out how to live properly on the planet we have. We humans seem to be having enough trouble being the dominant creature on this one planet, and now we want to colonize a second planet? That's the power of the human ego! Maybe we shouldn't spend this much money on that dry little planet up in the sky until we figure out a way to feed everyone on this planet under our feet.

red_ox

Oct 31, 2010 9:32 PM CDT

Let us toast to the beginning of a new era! April 5th, 2063 is approaching fast...